Northrop Grumman YFQ-48A Talon Blue completes first fully autonomous flight
Based on · First reported
Sources
- Northrop Grumman announced on October 3, 2026 that its YFQ-48A Talon Blue prototype performed its first fully autonomous flight, executing taxi, takeoff, in‑flight maneuvers and landing without human control.
- The aircraft, unveiled at Mojave Air and Space Port on December 3, 2025, received its YFQ-48A mission design series designation from the U.S. Air Force on December 22, 2025, and completed autonomous taxi tests in May 2026 as part of the internally‑funded Project Talon portfolio, which also includes the Talon IQ and joins the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A as Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototypes.
How we use AI · Report an error
Related stories
- Air ambulance with six aboard missing en route from Bermuda to Boston
- Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk after cockpit stabbing
- Long Thành airport ramps up hiring with multiple recruitment rounds
- Poste Air Cargo launches first cargo flight from Taranto‑Grottaglie to Istanbul
- Forlì airport can accommodate more flights, says president de Pascale